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For as long as they could hold an instrument, sisters Aly and Mandy Payne had the benefit of a partner through which to filter their artistic progression. Naturally the rate of evolution for Skull Diver moved fast. What requires deliberation for most they do instinctively. Sharing duties as multi-instrumentalists where one left off the other found new inspiration. Carving out their dynamic, Aly's unique playing style is perfectly tailored for Mandy's Vocals. Their musical collaboration isn’t so much a pastime as an identity around which everything else revolves. Growing up their intake of major influences was simultaneous and therefore proactive: The first time one of them heard King Crimson, Prince or Radiohead soon became an infectious awe they could share.
The early Skull Diver compositions were long, roomy abstractions-more an experiment in painting broad strokes of the subconscious. The sisters reflect on this period as more as a work-study period. With an interest in experimental audio rivalling their compositional desires, they toiled tirelessly to familiarize themselves with the world of analog circuitry, audio engineering and midi programming, turning their house into a makeshift studio where songs could be taken through their entire evolution-from inception to perfection to production.
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Skull Diver’s 2015 'Self-Titled' debut, however, captures the jubilance of invention after the initial spark. It’s a tragically beautiful and poetic effort. Well studied and artfully self-produced over months of experimenting with how it should or could sound before finally being crowned complete.
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For the bands 2017 independent release ‘Chemical Tomb", the alternate approach was to make the document while it was still raw. The thematic elements are darker, with a gravely dangerous bend due largely to the addition of percussionist Alexandra Geffel. Geffel was introduced to Skull Diver in late 2015 and quickly became the long sought after engine powering Skull Diver’s breakneck pace.
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'Chemical Tomb' employs the same aching melancholy of Skull Diver’s debut but adds an element of aggressive dissonance. It’s landscape is winding, with malevolent and often uncomfortably honest subject matter. Skull Diver’s ability to juxtapose doom and gloom riffage with sparkling synths and delicately frigid piano is masterful. It’s an inventive dichotomy that illustrates the rare ability to not only churn out the raw material but also refine it in post-production while retaining the initial vibrancy.
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Like the Cecily Brown painting from which the band takes it’s name, Skull Diver’s textured complexity incorporates a varied array of tones and strokes. Their current pallette dips into the darker shades of our own humanity but it’s vibrancy is still sourced of something pure and familiar.

Near the end of 2013, four like minded artist reached out to one another to escape from the gray and dreary Eugene winter. First playing music together as a project for friendship’s sake, the group soon found that their mutual creativity expanded beyond music, and within this environment their talents could grow. Over time this heaven allowed for free experimentation and soon the conglomeration of their individual interests and musical talents formed the unique blend known as Childspeak. Mixing structure with improvisation, imagery with sound and history with emotion, the post-rock mixed media group shares a passion for exploring creativity and feeling in whatever form it strikes.

Fed from a desire to create and grow, the group found the formation to be quite serendipitous. All lead from different paths, the meeting of Derek, Bryan, Bri and Tj would be a crossroads in all their lives, helping them grow and flourish as individuals and together as the Childs family.

The band released their debut full length album, Daydream Sparkle Party in December 2015 as a suggested donation download on bandcamp.com. The album was fully produced in Portland, Oregon. Recorded and mixed by Kevin Drake at Dead Aunt Thelma's Studios, mastered by Adam Gonsalves at Telegraph Audio and the album artwork was produced by Bri Childs.